Coin-controlled food-dispensing apparatus.



M. WOODBURUZ N. W. ALDRIGH. COIN GONTROLLED FOOD DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17,1908.

' Patented 0015.27, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. WOODBURY & N. W. ALDRICH com ooNTRoLLBD Poon DISPENSING APPARATUS.

l APPLICATION FILED APB. 17,1908.

Patented @(311.27, 1908.

902,358' 'A SHEETS-SHEET 2 entre;

srarns earner, rarer.

MRSTON WOODBURY, OF BROOKLINE, AND NATHKANEL W. ALDRIOH, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS. l

corn-conrnonnnn noon-nrsrnirsrne arrana'rns.

No. ceases.

vented certain new and useful lmprovements in Coin-Controlled Food-Dispensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specication. L

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically dispensing articles of value upon the deposit of a coin or token.

The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which will i dispense any kind of food such as sandwiches or cake, or even slabs or packages of i ice cream.' TWe are ablek to sell the latter goods or other articles, which should be cold, by reason of employing means whereby the inside of the portion of the casing, which contains the eatables, may be kept either cold or hot. While ordinary sandwiches may be considered equally palatable whether or not they are at the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, some sandwiches, especially chicken or lobster salad employing lettuce, are much improved iny taste if cold. On the other hand, some sandwiches and some kinds of pie are preferred hot. Under one feature of our invention, we are enabled to have one apparatus kept heated internally, and another one kept at a low temperature of any desired degree according to the refrigerant employed.

lVith the above-mentioned objects in view, we have provided an. apparatus which comprises a series of trays bodily movable past an opening in a casing, and means controlled by the introduction of a coin or token whereby the said series will pass the opening step by step so as to enable the would be purchaser to remove one sandwich or other package of food from the shelf which is opposite said opening, and a conduit through which any fluid refrigerant or heating medium may be carried in order to keep the interior of the portion of the casing, which contains the unconsumed or undelivered packages, ata temperature that may be desired to make the food most palatable.

Of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one compartment or casing, and embodying our invention, Figure 1 repre- Specication of Letters Patent. Application filed April 17, 1908.

l Fig. 1.

a series of food supports,

Patented ont. 2'?, ieee.

serial no. 427,639.

sents a front elevation of the upper portion of the apparatus with the front partially broken out to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus with the side wall of the casing removed to show the interior, tion. Fig. 3 represents a detail section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 on a .larger scale. Fig. 4 represents a' detailsection on line 1 -4 of Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slot-closing plate. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Fig. Fig. 7 is a section on a still larger scale, m a horizontal plane below the line of section of Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail elevations of the coin-controlling mechanism, showing the parts indierent positions. Fig. 10 represents a section Online 10-10 of Fig. S on a larger scale. Fig. 11 represents a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 8, but drawn to the scale of Fig. 10. Figs. 12 and 13 are perspective views of the plunger and adjustable gage respectively.

Similar reference characters indicate the saine or similar parts in all of the views.

An upright casing 20, preferably of sheet metal, is provided with a delivery opening 21 through which access can be had 'to the goods on the shelves or trays inside of the casing. Said opening is preferably nor mally closed by a hinged' lid 22 which can be readily opened by the customer, said lid being employed to exclude dust and to also preserve the interior temperature.

Vertically movable inside of the casing, is

the same comprising trays 25 rigidly connected with the vertical plate 24, which latter is preferably provided with several blocks or cross strips 26 which engage the vertical Ways 23. Said ways 23 serve to guide the connected series of trays, the latter having a rack 27 and being connected by a cord 28 running over a pulley 30 to a weight 3l., adapted to slide in a guide tube 32. Said weight is intended to partially counterbalance the connected series of trays and the food thereon, but it does not entirely counterbalance. Even when the trays are all empty, they are designed to be a little heavier thanl the weight so that the entire series of trays will always have a tendency to descend in the casing guided by the ways 23. 'To prevent the descent of the trays and to insure that they can be actuated only step by step past the and with the base in sec- 1 on a larger scale.`

l tering a hole in the lower end of f plunger 42 projects.

- presently described, it is `opening with a delivery openin we employ a pinion or gear 33 .meshinggwith the rack 27 and rig-y idly'connected with the shaft 34 mounted in bearings 35, said shaft also having a toothed wheel or ratchet 36 (see Figs. 8 and 9) rigidly connected with it.

, the position shown in Fig. 8.

41 indicates a coinfcliute crossing the lower end of which is a plunger 42 having a rod- 43 (see Fig. 10), the outer endof the rod 43, outside of the casing,.being providedI With a knob 44. A spring 45 is coiled about the rod 43 and is under tension between a collar 46, secured tothe rod 43, and a fixed portion of the apparatus, said fixed portion comprising a partfof what we will hereinafter refer to asthe xed guide 47.

The guide 47 is formed with a slot 48 at its rear end, through which' a pin 50 of a slide 49 projects, the end of said pin 50 enthe pawl a slot 5l projecting from the When a coin c is dropped into the chute onto the gage 55,

utilized to transinit motion from the plunger to the pawl. After the purchaser drops a coin in, he pushes the rod 43 and plunger 42 inward to its extreme limit. During the latter partl of this motion, the coin pushes the pawl from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 9, thus releasing one tooth of the ratchet. But the tooth 39 of the pawl prevents the ratchet from moving much fartherthan is suliicient to enable another tooth of thel ratchet. to pass the tooth l0 of the pawl. The extreme end of the plunger is beveled so that, after this motion has been accomplished, the coin is ejected and permitted to drop into the coin guide 53 where it will finallyk landin the cash drawer 54 (see Fig. 2). As soon as the plunger is released, the spring 45 returns it to the position shown in Fig. 8. The latter portion of the :return movement of ther plunger causes the pin 52 to engage the end of the slot 51 in the slide 49, and the pin 50 37. The slide through which 4-9 is formed with a pin 52 of the latter causes the pawl to return with certainty to the position indicated in Fig. 8, which position is at the limit prescribed by the end of the slot 48 in the fixed ide 47.

f course a coin can only be reed from position betweentlie plunger and the 'pawl when it is of a diameter that will In order to permit said ratchet to move only step by step so as 'indicated in Fig. 2 at `Said frontportion has permit it coasts' to pass the inner end of the gage 55.' In order that the space `for the passage of the coin may be accurately formed, the gage 55 is adjustable. Preferably the adjustment isaccomplished by means of a screw 56 having a head at 57 of said gage 55, (see Figs. l1 and 13).

The slot in the casing for the insertion of the coin is indicated at` 58. In order that said slot may be automatically closed to prevent the insertion of a coin when the stock of goods-has become exhausted, we employ a plate 59 (see Figs. 4, 5 and-8), said plate having a slot 60 through which a pin 600 from the casing or frame of the machine projects. The plate 59 has a foot lug 6l and vis normally held in raised position by a spring 62so that a notch 63, in one edge of the plate, will register with the coin slot 58 of the casing. But, when the rack frame and the series of trays has been lowered until the uppermost tray is opposite the delivery openingy 21, a lug` or arm 64, projectingfrom the upper portion of the tray frame, see Fig. 2, will contact with the foot lug 6l, and depress the plate`59 so that the coin slot will be closed by reason of the notch 63 being carried out of 'registration with said coin slot.

For some purposes, iii-order that the condition of the stock of goods may be exam-` ined, we prefer to locate a plate of glass 65 in the front wall of the casing just above the delivery opening. l

Mounted inside of the casingl and inthe upper portion fthereof and behind the rack frame, a pipe or conduit 66 is loca-ted, the ends of said pipe or conduit projecting through the rear wall of the casing and thereby adapted to be connected to `any suitable means for delivering a current of a heating or cooling medium through said conduit' 66. It is not essential that this conduit extend below the horizontal plane of the delivery opening because at no time will there be any eatables contained in the casing below that plane. ably located as close to the shelves or trays as possible, so that,I if the conduit-is carrying a heating medium, the heat will be transmitted to the trays' lso that the trays themselves will be keptfwarm either by conduction or by convection. And on the contrary when the conduit is beingemployed to refrigerate, its close proximity to the rack The conduit is preferl.

frame will enableit to extract heat from the trays vby, conduction or convection. In practice, `the sandwiches or other goods to be sold will be preferably' wrapped as in paraffin paper and one placed on each tray until the entire series is loaded,y For this purpose, the lower portion of the casing,

slotted lugs 201, which hook over or engage pins x202i pro- 200, is removable.

engaging g i is-not necessary that the removable titions of this operation operation of the lu and a chute for directing a coin between the ceases a xed to saidshait, an escapement pawl controlling said ratchet, a slotted member, said pawl having a pin projecting throu h the slot of said member, a slide engage with saidpin, said slide having a slot, a spring retracted plunger having a pin entering the slot of said slide, and a chute for` directing the coin betweenthe plunger and pawl.

- 4. .An apparatus of the characterl described, comprising a shaft, dispensing mechanism controlloA lby said shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, an escapement pawl controlling said ratchet, a guide, a plunger mounted in said guide and movable toward and from said plunger and having its end inclined downwardly and rearwardly, a spring f normally retracting said plunger, an adjustable gage mounted in said guide below the plunger, a chute for directing a coin between ,the plunger and pawl, and connections -for transmitting return movement of the plunger to the pawl.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a shaft, dispensing mechanism controlled by said shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, an escapement pawl controlling said ratchet, a Vspring retracted plunger movable toward said pawl, an adjustable gage for determining the diameter of a coin which may pass the lower endy of the pawl, a chute for directing a coin onto the end of said gage, and connections for transmitting return movement of the plunger to the pawl. i

6. An apparatus of 'the character described comprising a casing having a coin slot, a coin chiite registering with said slot, dispensing-mechanism in said casing, means for controlling the movement of said dispensing mechanism bythe introduction of a` coin, said means including a plunger to enage a coin, a plate mounted within the'casin 'and having a slot normally registering with the slot in the casing, and means whereby the' dispensing mechanism may actuate said plate to carry its slot out of aliiiement with the casing slot.

jecting from the side walls of the casing. Since the trays are of course to be. loaded or filled only when they are in the lower part of the casing, and since said trays do not getv into' a position behind the removable portion excepting when they are empty, it

ortion' of the casing shall possess any llocking means. Itis suilicient to simply engage the hook lugs with the pins. When the trays have been loaded in the lower portion of the casing, the proprietor simply pushes the entire series upward to the extreme limit, the ratchet 36 permitting this to be done. He then restores the removable section 200 and the apparatus is ready to deliver whatever is in thelower tray, upon the deposit of the proper coin and the pushing in of the plunger. This permits the tray frame to drop the distance of the'space from one tray to the next so that the person, who has deposited the coin, can open the lid 22 and remove the goods from said lower tray. Repewill gradually permit the series -of trays to be emptied, the tray moving downward with a step by step movement until the coin slot is closed by the 64 acting upon the slotclosing plate in t e manner hereinbefore described.

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a shaft, dispensing mechanism controlled by lsaid shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, an escapement pawl controlling said ratchet, a spring retracted plunger movabletoward 'said' pawl, a slide, connections between said slide and plunger whereby -a portion of the movement of thev lunger is transmitted to said slide, said slide aving a pin to which said pawl is connected,

plunger and pawl.

' 2. An apparatus of the character described', comprising a shaft, dispensing mechaiiism controlled by said shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, an escapement pawl controlling said ratchet, a slide having a pin said dpalwl andh having a slot, a signatures, in presence of two witnesses. spi'inor retracte un er avinga pin enteri ing tlie slot of said slide, and a chute for directing a coin between the plunger and pawl. 3.' An apparatus of the character del `Witnessesz scribed, comprising a shaft, dispensing mech- P. W.. Pnzzn'r'rl,

l F. R. RoUis'roNE.

anism controlled b said shaft, a ratchet ln testimony whereof We have aiilxed our 

